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GalNet/3301/June
01 JUN Federal Congress Prepares for Vote Members of Congress from across the Federation have made their way to Mars today, in response to Shadow President Hudson's call for a Vote of No Confidence Against the current administration. For months now, the Shadow President has been involved in an intense lobbying campaign against President Halsey and her administration. The Shadow President has pointed to the loss of dozens of member states to the Alliance, a rampant increase in crime rates, and a defanged Federal Navy as some of the more devastating effects of Jasmina's time in office. However, now that President Halsey no longer appears to be a concern, Congress could decide to allow Acting President Winters to assume the office of President in Jasmina's stead. Felicia Winters has always been very popular amongst Congress, even before her ascension to the office of Secretary of State. Now that she's assumed the role of Acting President, it's could be possible that her peers will elect to see what kind of leader Felicia will be. Members of Congress will be permitted to cast their vote at any time in the next 12 hours. Last-minute lobbying efforts from both sides are expected to be extremely intense, although pundits believe that Shadow President Zachary Hudson will almost certainly carry the day. 02 JUN Zachary Hudson Becomes the New President of the Federation The results are in and Zachary Hudson is the overwhelming choice for the new President of the Federation. A record number of attendees appeared in Congress on Mars to take part in yesterday's Vote of No Confidence against the Liberal Administration, with almost every member of Congress appearing in person to cast their vote. In the end, a shocking 66% of Congress voted to remove the Liberal Administration from office, a clear indicator that the collected Federal worlds feel a change in leadership style is necessary. Surprisingly, a large number of known Liberal supporters voted to remove their own leadership from power. Most commentators agree that this is a reflection on Halsey’s actions and the current unpopularity of Federal government among frontier systems. Winters needs to build her own supporter base before she can bring power back to the Liberals. President Hudson will be officially sworn into office later today, after which he is expected to spend the remainder of the week finalising his administration. Most of the previous Shadow Cabinet are expected to be included, although as always some change is inevitable. The Federal Republican Association has gained a massive swell of support over the last year. Now that President Hudson is officially in office, we can expect a much more aggressive stance on decision-making coming from Mars once the new administration is fully established. The Loss of Starship One Linked to Mechanical Failure The Federal Navy has today released its official report into the disappearance of Starship One. As expected, the 600,000 word document provides a detailed analysis of the inner workings of Starship One. The report confirms that the abnormal energy signature detected by Guardian Wing Alpha, immediately prior to Starship One’s last known jump, was almost certainly caused by mechanical failure. The report includes an in depth comparison with the failure of the Highliner Antares and concludes there were remarkable similarities in the unusual failure mode, and it is still unclear why the automatic shutdown systems did not operate (most of which were not present on the Antares). The failure began with a power surge in the central power plant – something not especially unusual in a high capacity hydrogen reactor – causing several other core systems to overload. Despite going over hours of evidence, including video feeds detailing the last several days of life aboard all four ships of Starflight One, investigators were not able to identify any signs of foul play. In the end, the team has concluded that the cause of Starship One’s loss was a complex multi-stage engine failure. 03 JUN Galaxy's Most Wanted: Who is Archon Delaine? Villain, murderer, madman. Titles with which Archon Delaine, the self-styled Pirate King, are all too familiar. 37 years ago, Archon Delaine rose to prominence after brutally beating the Kumo Crew’s previous leader to death with his bare hands. Thus, at the tender age of 15, Archon assumed the role of Pirate Lord and began to cut a bloody swathe across the Pegasi sector. During the first 20 years of his rule, Archon Delaine faced a constant stream of challenges from upstarts and other crews alike. Each and every challenger was struck down, and as each one fell, the legend of Archon grew ever greater. Growing weary of the constant infighting, Archon oversaw a massive restructuring of his ‘family’. He turned them from a loosely affiliated rag-tag assortment of pirate crews into a single-minded killing machine whose only desire is to obey Archon’s every order. Under his leadership, the Kumo Crew has gone from being a feared local drug cartel to one of the most influential criminal syndicates in the galaxy. The systems he runs still function – in some cases better than before they were taken. The Kumo Crew rule by fear and are utterly intolerant of those who work against them, but in equal measure have been known to protect and reward those in the systems they have subjugated who have shown loyalty, brutally enforcing their own ruthlessly simple ethos. So far, Archon Delaine has only been active in the Pegasi sector, but some reports have begun to surface of Kumo Crew members beginning to move out of the sector. 07 JUN The Rising Cost of Getting High In reaction to the changing political landscape in the Federation, many systems have begun taking a much firmer stance against the supply and distribution of illegal narcotics. Traditionally, prohibition has served to do nothing more than increase the risk and reward for those involved in the trade of prohibited materials. This time appears to be no different. With the supply no longer adequately able to meet the demand, many buyers are being forced to pay prices that would have been unimaginable just weeks ago. While stricter penalties and additional costs may be enough to dissuade infrequent users, for the vast majority the question of cost is less an issue of if, and more a question of how. Smugglers across the galaxy have seen their profits rise by as much as 5000% in the last couple of weeks, with many expecting that profits will continue to rise, as more and more systems begin to crack down on the delivery of illicit goods to their stations. 08 JUN Orden de Comandantes Imperiales Capture Kamocan for Princess The famous Hispanic chivalric order has been operating day and night to ensure that Kamocan turns its allegiance to Princess Arissa Lavigny-Duval. The noblemen of the Orden de Comandantes Imperiales have been working hard to turn Kamocan to the support of the Princess, and after an extended campaign, the Orden de Comandantes Imperiales is pleased to announce that Kamocan has now officially entered the Imperial fold. This area of Imperial space is highly populated with people from Hispanic backgrounds, many of whom have now sworn to follow the Princess Lavigny-Duval in her quest to restore law and order to the Empire. The Orden de Comandantes Imperiales are confident that their systems will prosper through the influence of their beloved leader, the only real heir to the Throne. The Dukes of Mikunn Unveil Mercenary’s Respite Thanks to the efforts of the Mercenaries of Mikunn, who were assisted in their endeavour to colonise a previously uninhabited region of space by hundreds of independent commanders, the Dukes of Mikunn are pleased to announce the opening of a new station in the area previously known as COL 285 Sector VG-1 B24-6. Over 1 million tonnes of metal were collected in Kwatee last month to help construct “Mercenary’s Respite,” the Duke’s newest Coriolis station. Remoteness from major high-tech hubs and attempts at bureaucratic power plays by the Law Party of HR 7327 are blamed for the delay in opening the Duke’s latest military installation. The Law Party’s assistance in constructing the station was initially offered in order to forge a lasting peace with the Dukes as part a cease-fire agreement in regards to HR 7327. Ironically, the Law Party lost an election to the Dukes during the truce, leading to the Dukes gaining control of both HR 7327 and COL 285 Sector VG-1 B24-6. B24-6, as the locals call it, has been renamed “Sefrys” in honour of a fallen Mercs commander. The Dukes of Mikunn urge all those who may have business with either the Dukes or the Mercs to contact their agents aboard Mercenary's Respite in order to make the appropriate arrangements. Emperor's Grace Reaffirms Loyalty to Patreus On the personal order of Varrwen Mako Brennus, all members of Emperor's Grace are instructed to extend their support to Senator Denton Patreus where possible. Senator Patreus demonstrated support for Emperor's Grace during recent unpleasant circumstances when senior members of Emperor's Grace stood accused of Treason. This unfounded and scurrilous accusation was disproven before the Imperial Senate. Moreover, Emperor's Grace was instrumental in finding the criminals behind the recent assassination attempt on Emperor Duval. Explaining the decision to extend support to Senator Patreus, Admiral Brennus declared to a packed audience that "we never forget our friends and we always remember our enemies." Commander Light Fingers Imperial Security Service Lead Emperor's Grace 09 JUN Hudson Set to Target Traffickers In the face of President Hudson’s recent rise to power, the value of illicit goods has skyrocketed throughout the galaxy in anticipation of a crackdown on illegal commodities that are traditionally transported via the Federation. Dealers of all stripes have seen their profits soar over the last week, with hundreds of new millionaires being minted off the back of President Hudson’s perceived stance against criminal commodities. With the President’s appointment of his new administration now complete, sources close to Hudson have revealed to GalNet that an increase in security spending is very high on his agenda. “Things are about to get very difficult for traffickers,” one anonymous aide told the Mars Tribune. “The President’s ordered a bunch of those new Diamondback Scouts to act as short range interceptors for local security services. They don’t pack much of a punch on their own, but you try and outrun a swarm of angry Diamondbacks followed up by a couple of Viper wings and see how well you do.” “’Course if you do outrun them, say hello to the Navy. A month from now, two months top, the war against drugs will be done and dusted. You mark my words.” Prices of illegal narcotics had just started to stabilise after a week of frantic black market trading, and this latest news could well send prices spiking up again as dealers across the galaxy try to unload their stash before the expected galaxy-wide lockdown begins. The Federation Unites in the Face of Tragedy Despite some fear that the recent change in leadership would lead to further destabilisation of the Federation, it seems that on the whole, the majority of Federal worlds are content to wait and see what kind of President Zachary Hudson turns out to be. Political pundits and sociologists alike had expressed concerns that since the disappearance of former President Jasmina Halsey, the Federation would almost certainly go through a period of internal strife while the landscape of Federal power adjusted to the new reality. To everyone’s surprise, the situation on the ground has actually stabilised since President Hudson assumed office. It would seem that in the face of tragic loss, personal politics have been put aside, and the overwhelming majority of Federal organisations have chosen to stand united for the good of the Federation. How long this new coalition will last remains to be seen, but for now at least, Federal residents can rest easy knowing that for this brief moment in time, the Federation stands united for the good of all mankind. 10 JUN Getting Serious About Tascheter It’s been a little over a week since Felicia Winters assumed control of the Federal Liberal Party, and it looks as if the Shadow President intends to start her time in office by taking on her ex-employer in a bid to stabilize the Federation’s interests in the Tascheter sector. Media agents working on behalf of the Shadow President are currently in the process of spreading information packages throughout the Oduduro system, with the hope being that once residents learn of the Shadow President’s new policies they will realise that their best option is to remain part of the Federation. Unfortunately for Shadow President Winters, representatives of the Sirius Corporation have been extremely busy in the neighbouring system of Akkadia. Sirius has strong business connections with several Akkadian organisations, including Akkadia Inc and Akkadia Crimson Allied Organisation, both of which have been extremely receptive to Sirius’s overtures regarding a potential merger. Both galactic powers have enjoyed success in swaying the population of their respective target systems, but in the end, only one power will be able to establish themselves as the most influential voice in the Tascheter Sector. While relations between the two groups have remained cordial thus far, everything is expected to change as both sides begin to make their final preparations to see who will successfully stake their claim over the region. Federation Goes All In In late 3300, the small Federal system of Dahan found itself being used as a staging area for a prolonged military campaign against the independent nation of Eranin. Eventually, Eranin managed to force back the Federal invasion. Although not before heavy losses were incurred by both sides. This week that region once again became a hotbed, though this time of political activity, as both Federal and Alliance campaigners turned out in force in an attempt to exert their influence over the sector. Mahon supporters flooded the hallways of Dahan Gateway and Whitson Hub, choosing to focus their efforts on systems whose affections for the Federation could be called into question following the events of late last year. President Hudson’s supporters went head to head with the Alliance campaigners to support the Federation’s position aboard Dahan Gateway. With many an impassioned debate taking place between the two groups along the station’s promenade. Mahon supporters were successful in convincing many of the system’s residents that life within the Alliance did indeed sound better than having to send a large slice of their income off to Sol for little apparent return. Although in the end, typical Alliance bureaucracy (in the form of a lack of resources) means that Mahon’s supporters will be unable to capitalise on what appeared to be a sure-fire success. Therefore the real winner of the week’s campaigning currently looks set to be Shadow President Winters. Liberal and Republican Party members have been working around the clock to recruit new supporters in the Federal system of Aulin, with the liberals managing to just about take a lead in what has historically been a republican led state. Contracts are currently being drawn up to allow Shadow President Winters to set up a new command centre aboard Aulin Enterprise, and unless the republican party does something extraordinary to stop it, Friday will see the rise of a new liberal command centre in Aulin. 11 JUN Controlling the Credit Crops A little over six months ago, the newly discovered naturally occurring plant known as Onionhead was made illegal throughout all of Federal space. Not long after, in an attempt to stop the spread of Onionhead, the Federation launched a violent campaign against the innocent farmers of Kappa Fornacis, led by the vocal Georgio Algeria. Federal marines invaded the farmers’ fields, and Federal battle cruisers rained fire from the skies. The now wealthy farmers managed to create a new strain of Onionhead, and so the spread started, working alone and with others, including the East India Company – an Imperial trade organisation in which Senator Zemina Torval is a major shareholder. In an attempt to warn the Imperial Senator away from Kappa Fornacis, President Hudson responded by directing a number of prominent Republican Party supporters to begin permanently establishing themselves in Autahenetsi, to change public opinion as a deterrent to farmers, smugglers and Imperials alike. Although at time of press, neither the East India Company nor Senator Zemina Torval appear to be particularly intimidated by the Federation’s efforts. Who is Brad Mitchell? The New Federal VP! After the phenomenal political upheaval of the last week and the handover to the new administration, we take a look at our new Vice President Brad Mitchell. He started as a travelling salesman, a rep for LTT 15449 Dynamic Incorporated, and rapidly climbed the ranks, ending up as President of Sales at Reyan BPS, becoming very wealthy before his move into politics. Brad Mitchell has a good reputation for getting things done, but has made enemies along the way. Having spent much of his early adult life travelling throughout Federal space on behalf of various interstellar corporations, the new VP is well versed in the needs of the Federal frontier systems, and he is well liked in those systems. It is a clear move by Hudson to show he plans to support the frontier on every level, and has been seen as a very positive move by many living along the Federal borders. 12 JUN Only The Strong Survive The Frontier A week ago the Hand Gang of Gandii and the Camorra of Krisha issued a call asking for allies of the Kumo Crew to aid them in overthrowing the authorities in their homelands. The results were... disappointing for the two criminal families. Recruitment was slow, with both crews failing to attract more than a few hundred freebooters to their cause. Their failure to recruit new blood proved to be particularly problematic for the Camorra of Krisha, who soon found themselves severely outgunned by the far more influential Krisha Systems Corporation. By the end of the week, both crews found themselves fighting for their very survival. Finally, after a fierce battle for control of Babbage Station, the Hand Gang managed to establish themselves as a credible threat to the people of Gandii, a fact which inevitably led the New Gandii Democrats to revaluate the wisdom of holding out on Archon Delaine. As for the Camorra of Krisha, their assault against Fincke Depot ended in total failure. Krisha Systems were able to force the Camorra into a full scale retreat late Thursday evening, so much so that by Friday morning very few members of the Camorra were left to be found in Krisha. Those that remain are being hunted by their former allies, while those that are smart have already slinked off to join more capable crews. Winters Sends Envoys to Utopia? In a move that many will see as being directly at odds with her predecessor’s hard-line stance against the spread of sim addiction in the Federation, emissaries of Shadow President Felicia Winters have been spotted meeting with representatives of Utopia aboard Tanner Settlement in Polevnic. GalNet reached out to the Shadow President to ask why her support staff were seen visiting the Utopian headquarters, but a spokesman brushed it off as routine. Political pundits have been quick to point out that visiting Utopia could be seen as a move to support sim fans – given Utopia’s strong connection to the sim gaming industry, though there are other rumours, fuelled by the call for a large order of assorted Metals to be delivered to Antal, has led economists to speculate that the Utopians may be looking to broaden their efforts into other markets. 13 JUN The Savage Side of Imperial Slavery On the edges of Imperial space, the line between savagery and civilisation blurs on an almost daily basis. Never has this been more apparent than this weekend, during which hundreds of supposedly honourable Imperial commanders crossed the border to smuggle massive quantities of Imperial Slaves to sell in black markets controlled by the Kumo Crew. Exactly what the Kumo Crew plans to do with the Imperial Slaves is unknown, although given how much the Kumo Crew were paying for them it’s almost certainly not going to be pleasant. Under Imperial law, citizens are not permitted to sell their Imperial Slaves for service to non-Imperial citizens, nor are they allowed to sell Imperial Slaves on worlds outside of Imperial space. Those found breaking the law run the risk of being forced into service themselves, although in reality Imperial frontier security services tend to turn a blind eye to the practice. GalNet reached out to the Imperial Slavers Association and received the following statement: “The sale of Imperial Slaves outside of the borders of Imperial space is strictly prohibited by order of the Senate. Any members of the ISA found engaging in such activity will be removed from the guild and reported to the appropriate authorities.” Federal President Hudson Looks to the Future In a speech to business leaders today at the Banqueting Hall in Quenisset on Mars, President Hudson hinted at a raft of new policies to motivate the Federation’s youth. “As I said when I was the Shadow President, we are entering dangerous times. The Empire have been expanding recently more than they have for centuries. We have failed our own frontier worlds for decades and it is hardly surprising they are leaving the Federation as they are. We need a stronger military, a military that gets respect from our youth. We need better soldiers, better fighters, better pilots. We need to be more outward-looking.” “Our youth has become flabby. Lying inanimate, plugged in to their sims hour after hour, day after day, living in dream worlds that never have existed and never will exist. They need to take part in the real world, and so we will be creating programs to allow them to do just that. Programmes that will excite them, engage them, train them. We will fund these programmes in full, the first of which will be announced to Congress on Tuesday 16th.” “The Empire needs to know the Federation is strong. We were strong, and now we will be strong again!” Commentators have already been speculating about the introduction of conscription, but this was denied by Hudson himself “I believe in carrot, not stick”. Congress has already agreed to a substantial rise in military spending, and naval shipyards throughout the Federation are at maximum capacity. Cynics have also noted that the Core Dynamics share price is at an all-time high - Core Dynamics has been a backer of Hudson for a long time, and many say this is his payback. 14 JUN Simguru Offers to Share Tomorrow Today Simguru Pranav Antal made an appearance at the original Utopian commune in Antal today, to address rumours that the Utopians had entered negotiations to ally themselves with Shadow President Winters’ supporters. “It is only right for us to honour what came before us. Sol is the birthplace of our race, the shining jewel of our galaxy. At least, it is now that it has been restored to its former glory.” “In that respect, the Federation is like an elderly relative, full of wisdom and useful life lessons, but ultimately unable to guide its children in finding their truth.” “In Utopia we respect our elders, but we do not allow their love of the past to obstruct our path to the future. Members of the Federation are free to come to Utopia to study, to shape, to share in everything we have to offer. After all, the abundance of Utopia was created for all of mankind, and we wish for nothing but peace with our other selves.” “An alliance though? No.” “While it is our duty to be concerned with the workings of the lower worlds, the Utopians will not allow ourselves to become tangled in the petty politics of those whose only true worry is for their own personal power.” “Our goods are for sale, but our integrity is not.” As a reminder to all budding entrepreneurs working hard to scrape some credits from the black, Utopia is currently looking to source a large supply of metals. Traders and miners interested in acting as suppliers to Utopia are being asked to deliver metal to Lobachevsky Station in Antal. For Some, President Halsey's Disappearance Is Not "Case Closed" While the Federation considers President Halsey’s disappearance an open and shut case, some groups still doubt the official story. The Knights of the Black, whose members have sworn to defend all human systems against alien aggression, is one such group. According to the group’s founder, “We aren’t entirely convinced Halsey’s disappearance is the work of an alien species, but we also aren’t convinced that it was an accident. Remember that Felicia Winters insisted, even from the beginning, that Starship One was lost due to mechanical failure. Zachary Hudson seemed awfully convinced of sabotage until he became the President. To me, it seems the Federation is covering up something.” He went on to say, “Such a well-orchestrated strike against any of Humanity’s leaders would be a clear sign of an alien threat, which we take very seriously.” Though the Knights aren’t actively searching for Starship One, they claim, “We’re keeping our eyes peeled.” 18 JUN Chaos in the Kumo Crew Leading a piratical group is tough. The Kumo Crew is growing, but not without a struggle. Archon Delaine has always been a strong leader, and keeps the worst excesses of his lieutenants in check. In truth he leads a disparate group of criminal organisations, and recently infighting and infiltration has been rife within the Kumo Crew since Delaine began accepting new members, causing the Kumo to falter in their bid to take over the Pegasi system. Rumours coming from Harma suggest that the Pirate King is furious at the chaotic, incompetent and downright treacherous actions being carried out in his name. So much so that Delaine has dispatched the Kumo Crew enforcers to deal with the matter personally. Those who find themselves blocking the Kumo Crew’s spread throughout the Pegasi sector will pay the price for their defiance. Kappa Fornacis Calls Federal Freedom Into Question It has been some time since the Kappa Fornacis Farmers Union has dared to draw attention to itself beyond its home system. However, following a reported trade deal with one of Senator Zemina Torval’s corporations, the farmers of Panem look a good deal more confident. Georgio Algeria, spokesman for the Kappa Fornacis Farmers Union, had this to say on the subject: “Even with a new President, they won’t win. What we have is great, and you can’t keep greatness down. That Hudson guy is too uptight. He needs to chill, and I’ve got just the thing for him!” “Everything in moderation, my friends. Sims are cool. Hudson’s kids don’t need to win no prizes for proving who’s the best at killin’. They need to chill, to care about each other, get in touch with their roots.” “The Empire’s cool with us. Slavery’s not cool, but at least they’re doing something about it. These Fed kids signing up to the Navy. Bombing our children. How is that not slavery? Which is better?” 19 JUN Angels Flock to Follow the People’s Princess For months, Aisling’s Angels have been working hard to support their mistress in her quest to bring about meaningful social change in the Empire. As part of their efforts, millions of slaves have been set free, retrained and rehomed in accordance with Aisling’s wishes. When she lost her bet against Zemina Torval back in April, many within Imperial society thought Aisling’s followers would finally realise that she was backing a lost cause and give up. Instead the opposite happened as thousands of Imperial citizens, their hearts touched by the efforts of the people’s princess, rallied to her cause. This has turned Aisling into one of the most influential celebrities in the Empire today, to the delight of her powerful backers. With this new-found support, the people’s princess has found herself once again going up against Senator Zemina Torval, as the two powerful senators clash in a bid to gain influence near the Empire’s core systems. Early last week, the two camps worked to rally support amongst senior patrons in Caspatsuria. When it became apparent that the Caspatsuria citizens would only be swayed by their wallets, a wise change in direction by the Angels PR team saw a last-minute burst of activity launch across Grovichun’s social media networks. Supporters of both Imperial powers are currently engaged in talks with the respective local authorities in a bid to set up new command centres from which to spread their own particular forms of Imperial life. 20 JUN Blaine Addresses State of the Emperor Chancellor Blaine made an appearance before the Senate today in order to provide an update on the Emperor’s health, following the attempt on the Emperor’s life a little over a month ago. “I am pleased to report that the Emperor is recovering nicely,” the Chancellor began. “There was some small concern that an excessive amount of toxins had been allowed to take root in the Emperor’s body, but His Grace’s physicians have proven themselves more than up to the task of removing them.” “Similarly, praise must go to Princess Lavigny, whose invaluable assistance in tracking down the conspirators led to the restoration of the Emperor’s justice in several dozen systems. A fact which I am sure will be of great comfort to those who were worried that the Duval legacy would be allowed to fall into ruin. Doubtless the Princess’s father would be extremely proud.” “On that note, I am pleased to announce that His Grace, Emperor Hengist Duval, has begun to show signs of returning to good health. The Emperor’s personal physicians have assured me that should His Grace continue to heal at his current rate, the Emperor will almost certainly make a full recovery.” “Hail the Emperor, bask in his glory.” 21 JUN Prime Minister Mahon Announces Open Trade Agreement in Old World Cluster During a press conference in Alioth earlier today, Prime Minister Edmund Mahon expressed his gratitude towards the independent pilots who supported his initiative to strengthen the Alliance's economic presence in the Old Worlds cluster. Mahon declared intention to keep the cluster open for traders of all affiliations and has announced an open trade agreement that will grant any trader safe passage. To ensure the safety of trader ships in the sector, Prime Minister Mahon has commissioned the Alliance Defence Force to establish a permanent presence in the sector, to counter the growing threats to civilian traders from piracy and crime. The deployment of this new Alliance strike force is expected to take place within the next few weeks. 22 JUN Federal Vigilantes Defy All Galactic Powers A long standing Federation leaning vigilante group has announced today that it is declaring itself its own sovereign power, defying all of the great galactic powers in what members of the groups are calling a struggle between "politicians, slavers and warlords." The Armada will instead be working to create its own system of governance, based upon its own particular rules of law. The Armada will remain headquartered in the Ngaliba system, where it has resided since 2900 as a Federal detachment of a classified inter-factional combat force. Post Commander Tyllerius Adle pulled his force out of the secretive organization in 3200, re-branding his group as "Adle's Armada” in the process. In 3301 the Armada still shrouds its self in secrecy and only recruits the finest and cleanest of conscience combative pilots into its ranks. The group has been known to spring up in times of need to defend the defenceless against forces that seek to to evil in the Galaxy. Adle's Armada will now be acting as its own power in the universe, with members of the group operating primarily in the Ngaliba, Mbukuravi and Kremainn systems. GalNet reached out to members of Congress for comment, but at time of press had received no reply. 23 JUN The Science of a Safer Society Thousands of Pegasi sector civilians were forced to evacuate their homes last week, following a series of brutal raids carried out in the name of Archon Delaine. Some resilient residents have attempted to reach out to the Federation and Empire homeworlds for assistance, but so far, their pleas for help have gone unanswered. This leaves the question on everyone’s lips: who will stop the Kumo Crew? Local business magnate, Pranav Antal, believes that his Utopians may well be able to provide an answer. “Their greed, their jealousy… these are the things that drive the Kumo to try to own, control and destroy everything they see.” “This desire for base things has led the crew down a dark path, one which has caused much pain for the people of Pegasi. We at Utopia understand their sorrow, their troubles, and we want to help.” “Agents of Utopia are seeking to open a new commune in Hip 116213. Once approved, our engineers will begin the dangerous process of establishing an enlightened defence against the uncivilised horde.” 24 JUN Terror in the Pegasi Sector Archon Delaine and his Kumo Crew have continued their seemingly unstoppable rampage across the Pegasi sector this week, with the Crew managing to establish new strongholds in Arawere, Huaich, LTT 16548 and San Muss. Reports coming in from the sector indicate that the Kumo Crew are now operating in over 160 different systems, with millions of people being forced to pay the pirates for protection, or else risk death or dismemberment for failing to do so. Many smaller interstellar corporations have announced that the Pegasi sector is now off limits, a fact which will doubtless lead to more suffering for residents of the region as their economies become affected by the lack of workable trade routes. Almost 20 billion members of the Federation live within territory that has now been claimed by the Kumo Crew. Despite this, the Federation has yet to take an official stance on the Pirate King’s activities. GalNet reached out to the Federal Navy for comment and was informed that: “The Navy is aware of the situation in the Pegasi sector. The issue will be resolved in due course, but we are unable to divulge any operational details at this time.” The Pilots Federation Supports Fuel Rat Initiative Each year, thousands of pilots go missing in the black. Some are waylaid by pirates. Others are lost to the dangers of space. However, an estimated 63% of all deep space losses are attributed to pilots who simply run out of fuel in an area where others rarely tread. Now a new initiative, which is being backed by the Pilots Federation, is hoping to turn those figures around. A group of independent pilots, calling themselves the Fuel Rats, have begun patrolling the outer fringes of civilisation. Their mission? To provide assistance to traders and explorers before their life support runs out. Commander Murishani of the Fuel Rats issued the following public service announcement regarding what to do in case of a fuel shortage: 1) Do not panic. Panicking costs fuel and air. You are running out of both! 2) Remain with your ship. Exit supercruise. Throttle to 0. Disable nonessential modules. 3) Call for help from the Fuel Rats immediately. Time is precious. 4) Reduce activity and food consumption. Preserve oxygen. Wait for help. A full list of active members of the Fuel Rats is available from the Pilots Federation upon request. 28 JUN Prime Minister Mahon announces open trade agreement for Lave cluster During a press conference in Alioth earlier today, Prime Minister Edmund Mahon has expressed his gratitude towards the independent pilots who supported his initiative to strengthen the economical bonds with the Old Worlds in the Lave cluster. Mahon assured his declared intention to keep the cluster open for traders of all affiliations and has announced an open trade agreement that will grant any trader safe passage. To ensure the safety of trader ships in the sector, he has commissioned the Alliance Defence Force to establish a permanent presence in the sector, to counter the growing threats to civilian traders from piracy and crime. The Council of Admirals has announced that the deployment of such forces will begin soon. 30 JUN Infection Running Rampant in BD-02 4304 Hundreds of businesses have closed and thousands of people are quarantined following an outbreak aboard Newton Dock in what could be the most devastating epidemic of the decade. The illness, the origins of which are currently unknown, has made its way across much of the region. Reports are coming in from surrounding systems indicating that the infection might already be spreading. Carl Simmons, the Chief Medical Officer of Newton Dock, released the following statement in regards to the spread of this disease: “At the risk of causing a panic, it is my duty to report that the outbreak is spreading at an alarming rate. Until we have identified how it managed to reach so many systems in such a short span of time, residents are advised to stay in their homes and travellers are advised to avoid the area.” “Early signs of infection include vomiting blood, excessive sweating, sores and waves of intense dizziness. If you suspect you’ve been infected, please report to the local authorities at the earliest available opportunity. They will inform you how to proceed.” In total almost 27 million residents now find themselves at risk from either disease, famine or both. Category:GalNet